Qatar shock at al-Jazeera bombing report

[sabra]

http://news.ft.com/cms/s/92fad322-5c58-11da-af92-0000779e2340.html

Qatar shock at al-Jazeera bombing report

Qataris, including senior officials, reacted with shock on Wednesday to newspaper reports in Britain suggesting that George W Bush, the US president, had discussed bombing the Doha headquarters of the Arabic satellite TV channel al-Jazeera.

...

“I thought this was just a rumour, but now the UK has used the secrecy act to stop it, it raises more questions. It makes this high profile and we would be really interested to know what is going on,” a senior member of the ruling Al-Thani family said.

...

The Bush administration avoided meeting Qatari officials for several months and Washington insisted Qatar should put pressure on al-Jazeera – launched with government funding nine years ago – to tone down its broadcasts out of Iraq.

...

“It is time for the United States to tell the truth about this attack and to take responsibility for its actions, which appear to be gross violation of international humanitarian law,” said Aidan White, general secretary of the IFJ.

[CatBoreal]

1. We nearly moved to Qatar four years ago...

...my husband was offered a job heading the team that would redesign the national science curriculum. We were going to go, despite having a newborn until * decided to beat the war drum.

At that point, we decided that the chance of a terrorist strike was too great and for the safety of our family we didn't go.

Who would have thought that it would be the American government looking to undertake terrorist action in a foreign country.

[PatGund]

8. I live in Qatar right now.....

And right now, the US expats I know, myself included, are keeping a very low profile

Because people are pissed. To put it mildly. Blair hiding behind the official secrets act is not helping any.

*sigh*

[psychopomp]

9. I have heard Qatar is a nice place to live

Sorry that it has become inhospitable to Americans. I also live abroad and wonder if, one day, Americans might be unwelcome here (actually, it is that all foreigners might be unwelcome but that is another story..).

[PatGund]

10. It hasn't gotten there yet.....

But this is *not* helping. When my counselor here suggests it might be wise for me to "act Canadian", (and she's a Kiwi who's lived here 12 years), that's not a good thing.

The ironic thing for me is I work for a US college which is taking part in a programme with other schools to create branch campuses here in Qatar, to bring Western-style education to the region. This is being sponsored by the Qatar Foundation, which is a major project of the al-Thani royal family. Which also has ties to al-Jazeera.

At this time I don't know how this is going to change things here. But Qatar is one of the US's biggest allies here, and this story, true or false, (and Blair's actions seem to be reinforcing the idea it's legit), is doing to cause serious damage both here in Qatar and around the region. Because a lot of people in the region are looking at it and going "if Bush treats his allies like this, why should we support anything he does."

[NYC Liberal]

2. What would we have said had Saddam planned to bomb

CNN headquarters in 2002-2003 because they were acting as a propaganda arm for illegal invasions of sovereign countries? And how would that be different?

[Briar]

3. It wouldn't. n/t

[DoYouEverWonder]

5. Or if Chavez or Castro said they wanted

to blow up FOX News?

[Straight Shooter]

6. Interesting that you mention CNN.

al Jazeera admired CNN and based its programming structure and "attitude" on CNN. The irony of the implicit betrayal by the U.S. is as sharp as a dagger.

Of course, that was before Contains No News became a third-rate, low-class media mouthpiece for the bush administration.

[skooooo]

4. That's the shock and awe of it!

surprise!

[54anickel]

7. The US feared privatization? Still no comment from US or Downing St?

US pressures led the Qataris to suggest that they might put al-Jazeera up for sale. This option was not welcomed by US officials, who feared a privatisation could make al-Jazeera more difficult to control.

Hmmm, but I was sure all the US propaganda news outlets were private enterprises.

How much longer can Bush and Blair cry "no comment"? It's not like there's an on-going investigation or anything. :eyes:

[radfringe]

11. slapping on a gag order

is most telling

I'm sure if the "bomb al-Jazeera" comment was an innocent joke - there would have been better ways to diffuse the story - but the gag order 'stunt' just lends even more credibility to bush*'s comment and considering his tendency to "bomb first-ask questions later", it makes it even more believable

If this story grows a few more legs - I wouldn't be surprised if scotty-dog makes a statement that links al-Jazeera to Michael Moore...